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Posts Tagged ‘author events’

Jeffrey Blount at The Moveable Feast

Tuesday, January 23rd, 2024

Join Jeffrey Blount in conversation about his newest novel, Mr. Jimmy from Around the Way!

After a highly publicized fall from grace, James attempts to flee from the chaos in his life. He ends up in a community he had never heard of before, one that has been neglected and ignored by everyone in rural Ham, Mississippi. A place of abject poverty, the neighborhood is commonly referred to as “Around the Way.” Within a place forgotten by the rest of the world, politics can be a dangerous game. When a troubling discovery is made, the entire neighborhood is rocked to its core and James is forced to confront his own past in order to help the community have a future.

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Jeffrey is the award-winning author of three novels: Almost Snow White, winner of the 2013 USA Best Book Awards; Hating Heidi Foster, winner of the 2013 Readers Favorite Book Award for young adult literature; The Emancipation of Evan Walls, winner of the 2020 National Indie Excellence Award for African American fiction, winner of the 2019 Readers Favorite Book Award, winner of the 2019 American Bookfest Best Book Award, and a Shelf Unbound 2019 Notable Book.

He is also an Emmy award-winning television director and a 2016 inductee to the Virginia Communications Hall of Fame.  During a 34-year career at NBC News, Jeffrey directed a decade of Meet The Press, The Today Show, NBC Nightly News, and major special events.

Jeffrey Blount at Cherokee County Public Library

Monday, January 22nd, 2024

Join Jeffrey Blount in conversation about his newest novel, Mr. Jimmy from Around the Way!

After a highly publicized fall from grace, James attempts to flee from the chaos in his life. He ends up in a community he had never heard of before, one that has been neglected and ignored by everyone in rural Ham, Mississippi. A place of abject poverty, the neighborhood is commonly referred to as “Around the Way.” Within a place forgotten by the rest of the world, politics can be a dangerous game. When a troubling discovery is made, the entire neighborhood is rocked to its core and James is forced to confront his own past in order to help the community have a future.

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Jeffrey is the award-winning author of three novels: Almost Snow White, winner of the 2013 USA Best Book Awards; Hating Heidi Foster, winner of the 2013 Readers Favorite Book Award for young adult literature; The Emancipation of Evan Walls, winner of the 2020 National Indie Excellence Award for African American fiction, winner of the 2019 Readers Favorite Book Award, winner of the 2019 American Bookfest Best Book Award, and a Shelf Unbound 2019 Notable Book.

He is also an Emmy award-winning television director and a 2016 inductee to the Virginia Communications Hall of Fame.  During a 34-year career at NBC News, Jeffrey directed a decade of Meet The Press, The Today Show, NBC Nightly News, and major special events.

Jeffrey Blount at Blue Ridge Community College

Saturday, January 20th, 2024

Join Jeffrey Blount in conversation about his newest novel, Mr. Jimmy from Around the Way, sponsored by Henderson County Public Library! Attendance is free, but registration is encouraged.

After a highly publicized fall from grace, James attempts to flee from the chaos in his life. He ends up in a community he had never heard of before, one that has been neglected and ignored by everyone in rural Ham, Mississippi. A place of abject poverty, the neighborhood is commonly referred to as “Around the Way.” Within a place forgotten by the rest of the world, politics can be a dangerous game. When a troubling discovery is made, the entire neighborhood is rocked to its core and James is forced to confront his own past in order to help the community have a future.

—

Jeffrey is the award-winning author of three novels: Almost Snow White, winner of the 2013 USA Best Book Awards; Hating Heidi Foster, winner of the 2013 Readers Favorite Book Award for young adult literature; The Emancipation of Evan Walls, winner of the 2020 National Indie Excellence Award for African American fiction, winner of the 2019 Readers Favorite Book Award, winner of the 2019 American Bookfest Best Book Award, and a Shelf Unbound 2019 Notable Book.

He is also an Emmy award-winning television director and a 2016 inductee to the Virginia Communications Hall of Fame.  During a 34-year career at NBC News, Jeffrey directed a decade of Meet The Press, The Today Show, NBC Nightly News, and major special events.

Jeffrey Blount at Gwinnett County Public Library

Friday, January 19th, 2024

Join Jeffrey Blount in conversation about his newest novel, Mr. Jimmy from Around the Way!

After a highly publicized fall from grace, James attempts to flee from the chaos in his life. He ends up in a community he had never heard of before, one that has been neglected and ignored by everyone in rural Ham, Mississippi. A place of abject poverty, the neighborhood is commonly referred to as “Around the Way.” Within a place forgotten by the rest of the world, politics can be a dangerous game. When a troubling discovery is made, the entire neighborhood is rocked to its core and James is forced to confront his own past in order to help the community have a future.

—

Jeffrey is the award-winning author of three novels: Almost Snow White, winner of the 2013 USA Best Book Awards; Hating Heidi Foster, winner of the 2013 Readers Favorite Book Award for young adult literature; The Emancipation of Evan Walls, winner of the 2020 National Indie Excellence Award for African American fiction, winner of the 2019 Readers Favorite Book Award, winner of the 2019 American Bookfest Best Book Award, and a Shelf Unbound 2019 Notable Book.

He is also an Emmy award-winning television director and a 2016 inductee to the Virginia Communications Hall of Fame.  During a 34-year career at NBC News, Jeffrey directed a decade of Meet The Press, The Today Show, NBC Nightly News, and major special events.

Confront Redemption and Self-Discovery Head-On with Jeffrey Blount in His Newest Novel, Mr. Jimmy from Around the Way

Tuesday, January 16th, 2024

NEW YORK, NY—JANUARY 16, 2024

From Jeffrey Blount comes his newest spellbinding novel about a self-identified failure, forced to uncover the wisdom of his past in order to recognize that money can’t solve every problem. Jeffrey is an award-winning author of three novels.

Now available anywhere books are sold, discover why James Henry Ferguson doesn’t belong here. After a highly publicized fall from grace, James Henry Ferguson attempts to flee from the chaos and ends up in a community that has been neglected and ignored by everyone, rural Ham, Mississippi—a place of abject poverty, the neighborhood is commonly referred to as “Around the Way.” When a troubling discovery is made, the entire neighborhood is rocked, and James is forced to confront his own past in order to help the community have a future.

Full of never-ending twists and turns, no one can prepare themselves for the surprises in store. Mr. Jimmy From Around the Way is a story about failure, self-discovery, empowerment, and the possibility of redemption.

“Blount makes us pause to take an up-close look at poverty and racism in our collective backyard. This powerful novel shows the true meaning of ‘it takes a village,’ and that doing the right thing should be color blind.”

Karen White, New York Times Bestselling Author

During a 34-year career at NBC News, Jeffrey directed a decade of Meet The Press, the Today Show, NBC Nightly News, and major special events. He is the first African-American to direct the Today Show. He is also an award-winning documentary scriptwriter for films and interactives that are now on display in the Smithsonian Museum of African American History and Culture. A Virginia native, he graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University with a degree in Communications/Broadcast Journalism. He now lives in Washington, DC.

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Mr. Jimmy from Around the Way

Jeffrey Blount — January 2024

ISBN: 9780825310324

Hardcover: $24.95 || Ebook: $9.99

Beaufort Books is an independent publisher based in New York City. Beaufort publishes a mix of non-fiction and fiction titles. Since 2007, Beaufort has published four New York Times bestsellers.

For more information about Mr. Jimmy from Around the Way, or to arrange an interview with the author, please contact Emma St. John at emma@beaufortbooks.com

What Makes Author Events So Appealing?

Thursday, October 6th, 2022

Dear Readers,

One of my favorite pastimes is to attend author events. I have gone to more events this year than ever before. The last time I attended a bookish event was when I attended the Boston Book Festival back in 2019. It was the first time I ever covered an event for my university’s newspaper and my first experience with journalism. 

When COVID hit, bookstores had to figure something out. If these events could not continue in-person, what were the alternatives? I am sure that many of the questions asked were in line with how to bring together many people in one setting in order to hear an author speak. Then, online events came in full swing. It allowed for people with busy schedules or long commute times to be able to see an author from the comfort of wherever they were. 

At the beginning of 2022, author events began to return to in-person, with an added bonus of hybrid events. Being able to meet authors face-to-face again and hear them discuss their works that they have spent time on, often in the hopes of giving an audience something to love or learn from, is utterly inspiring to me. 

It has made me wonder what makes author events so appealing? On the one hand, author events are like celebrity meet-and-greets for readers. If one loves an author’s book, one may hope that they can meet the author in-person and pick their brains. On the other hand, readers just love to hear about books, but this is a step above a simple recommendation.

Another thing that I personally love about author discussions is that they are super inspiring and motivating. I never leave an author event without immediately yearning for my laptop to continue writing my own manuscript. 

For introverts, author events can either be a completely solo experience or it can be a great opportunity to make bookish friends that may be hard to come by in a different environment. 

For go-getters, these events are great ways to branch out and connect with people in various industries related to books. Sometimes author’s friends, publicists, editors, and/or agents tag along. If you can find a way to put yourself out there, author events are a great avenue for your career. 

I love the excitement that author discussions bring. It feels so amazing to know that an author is just a regular person who found the time to put their imagination on a page and sought out the right people in order to give people a story to love. Since the majority of events I go to feature Young Adult writers, it reminds me that no matter how old I get, I was a teenager once who fell in love with reading, and I want nothing more than to share that same feeling with teens in the future. 

What do you love about author events?

Sincerely,

Kaliisha of Woods BEAUyond

Red Deception Virtual Event

Wednesday, September 22nd, 2021

Gary Grossman and Ed Fuller will be joining the San Francisco Public Library for a virtual event.